Healthcare in Honduras: Hospitals and Health Insurance
Healthcare in Honduras
With a population of just over 8 million in 2015, Honduras ranks 99th in the world by population and 101st by total area. The official language of Honduras is Spanish. The currency is the Honduran lempira.
Honduras ranks 131st in world health ranking per WHO. In 2014, the total expenditure on health per person was $400, which is 8.7% of the GDP. Honduran males have a life expectancy at birth of 72 years, and females can expect to live 77 years. There are .37 physicians per 1,000 people in Honduras as compared with 2.56 physicians per 1,000 people in the United States.
Hospitals in Honduras
The public sector has 30 hospitals with about 6,000 beds, which can normally provide a wide range of modern medical procedures. However, for extended periods of time recently, only emergency care has been available at public hospitals because the Honduras Ministry of Health stopped paying doctor salaries, so they went on strike. Medical facilities in rural areas are only able to provide care for minor injuries and illnesses. The private sector has 60 hospitals with about 1,000 beds; these facilities require mostly out-of-pocket payment.
Health Insurance in Honduras
The Ministry of Health (SS) is responsible for providing free health care to about 88% of Hondurans. However, when hundreds of millions of dollars were embezzled, hospitals were short on medicine and staff, and people without money for medical care did not receive it. Over 80% of Hondurans do not have health insurance and 30% are without health care, especially in rural areas, where they face a variety of obstacles.
The Honduran Social Security Institute (HSSI) system in Honduras is responsible for supplying free health care to the citizens of Honduras, with required contributions made by workers and employers. About 10% of the population is registered in this system and 3% have private insurance.
Travel (International) Health Insurance in Honduras
Travel, or international, health insurance provides comprehensive medical coverage when traveling outside of one’s home country. Travel health insurance is different from travel insurance, as the latter may provide only emergency coverage but not full medical coverage.
Travelers should check with their health insurance provider, as they may already have an option of international health coverage. If they do not, they can purchase travel health insurance from their home country or the destination country.
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